Crag features

Nagarjun Forest Reserve, which is part of the Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, is in northwest Kathmandu, just outside of the ring road. The main entrance to the reserve, Phulbari gate, is about 2km north of Balaju, which is about 5 kms from the center of the city. There is a fee to enter the reserve and like everything in Nepal, foreigners pay a premium. Foreigners pay 500 NR, whereas locals pay 100 NR. There is also a charge to bring in a car/motorcycle/bicycle. You will have to pay and register with the attendant before you are allowed to enter the park. The park is open 7am-7pm during summer and 7am-5pm in winter.

Nagarjun, also known as the Rani Ban (Queen's Forest), which is home to pheasants, deer, monkeys and a couple of military posts. It is one of the last significant areas of untouched forest in the valley.

In addition to rock climbing, many people visit the park to hike to the summit for the great views of the valley. A winding unpaved road and a much more direct footpath lead to the summit (2095m), which is a popular Buddhist pilgrimage site (the reserve is named after the Buddhist saint Nagarjuna). There's a small shrine at the summit to Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche in Tibetan) and a viewing tower offers one of the valley's widest mountain panoramas, stretching on a clear day all the way from the Annapurnas to Langtang Lirung, via Machhapuchhare, Manaslu and the Ganesh Himal (a plaque at the bottom of the tower identifies all the peaks). There are also grand views of Kathmandu and its valley laid at your feet to the south, assuming you can see through the smog and pollution. It's possible to make an enjoyable two-hour cardio-hike up to the summit from near the main gate.

The climbing consists of about 20 routes on a limestone cliff. Routes range from about 50 to 80 feet high. Most can be top-roped or lead on bolts. There were chain anchors at the top. The cliff is broken up into 4 separate faces. Most of the climbing is slightly slabby to vertical, and the routes would be considered moderate difficulty.

You can easily get by with a 50m rope and 2 quick draws to set your rope. You might want to bring something to place under your rope since it often goes over the rock edge if you are top roping. Routes can be lead but the bolts were of varying age, quality, and condition.